The success or failure of today’s irrigation districts rests with the long and short term decisions made by the management staffs of those institutions. Often those decisions are predicated on the direction provided by elected officials — officials who, again, rely upon the expertise and professional judgment of district staff and consultants. That responsibility demands the continuing development of tools, knowledge and skills to make good decisions, and that is why USCID thinks this Conference is one you should not miss.

Early in this century, the formation of irrigation districts in the western United States was generally for a singular purpose, that being for the delivery of irrigation water. The development and expansion of the West since the early 1900s is attributable in large part to irrigation projects and water delivery. However, with the population growth in the West has come the escalation of challenges faced by irrigation districts in the management and oversight of those institutions.

The diversity and complexity of issues facing irrigation districts today seems at times to be overwhelming. Many irrigation districts are celebrating 50- and 100-year anniversaries and are being faced with rebuilding and modernizing their aged infrastructure. Most districts are facing legal challenges to their water rights or water supply contracts, dealing with changing, ever-tightening water quality regulations, and wrestling with environmental issues. Water marketing has surfaced as a means for some districts to insure financial security, while other districts with less plentiful supplies are having to achieve higher levels of operational efficiency to cut costs and accomplish more with less. While dealing with all that, districts must address the everyday tasks of managing personnel, ensuring worker safety, managing district assets, addressing urban encroachment and controlling costs.

Irrigation District Sustainability — Strategies to Meet the Challenges is a Conference theme that is sure to attract a focused and peer-filled audience from the United States and abroad. This Conference will be an ideal forum in which irrigation district managers and staff, as well as district consultants, can exchange and learn from the experiences of others in their field. Conference Topics and Sub-Topics

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Who Should Attend?

Conference attendees will include water resource professionals, irrigation district managers, water agency managers and staff, consultants and academicians from the U.S. and overseas.

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Conference Format

The Conference will feature oral presentations in Technical Sessions and a Poster Session, plus Keynote and meal speakers. Receptions, breaks and tours will provide excellent networking opportunities.

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Exhibition

An Exhibition will feature companies providing goods and services related to irrigation, drainage and water resources; water management; environmental issues; and technology for water districts.

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Field Tours

A half-day field tour on Wednesday morning and a day-long Saturday tour will be Conference highlights.

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Conference Schedule

Draft Papers Due February 1, 2009

Comments to Authors March 15, 2009

Final Papers Due April 15, 2009

Conference June 3-6, 2008

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Conference Topics and Sub-Topics

Water Operations

GIS
Modernization
Advances in Technology
Water Quality/Ag Discharges
New Technologies for Water Measurement
SCADA
Management for Drought
Adaptive Reservoir Operations
Adaptive Canal Operations
Information Systems for Improved Water Management
Conjunctive Management of Surface Water and Groundwater
Drain Water Management
Water Reclamation Programs/ Water Conservation
Irrigation District Water Scheduling Program
Case Studies

Construction and Maintenance

Project Contracting Dos and Do Nots
Design Build
Innovative Construction
Aquatic Weed Management
Vehicle and Equipment Management
Planning and Budgeting for Maintenance
Cost Benefit Analysis
Case Studies

Environmental

Greening Initiatives
EIR/EIS
Air Quality
Energy Management
Aquatic Weed and Invasive Species Control
Off-farm Impacts of Irrigation and Drainage
Environmentally Sensitive O&M
Endangered Species Act Issues
Case Studies

Engineering

Right of Way/Easement Management
Modernization
Life Cycle Management of Facilities
Aging Infrastructure
Value Engineering
Project Cost Estimating
Decision Support Systems
Case Studies

Personnel

Recruitment
Succession planning
Technical and Safety Training for Managers and Staff
Union Issues
Case Studies

Administration/Policy/Governance/Legal

Protecting Water Rights
Watershed Management
Inter-Connective Supplies
Irrigation District Outreach
Water Marketing, Water Transfers and Leases
Integrated Regional Water Management Planning
Urbanization/Annexation/De-Annexation Policy and Legal Issues
Living with Allocations
Irrigation District Sustainability
Water System Security/Safety/Health
Canal Risk Management
Performance Metrics for Irrigation Districts
Water Conservation — Who Benefits?
Standard Operating Procedures and Emergency Action Plans
Case Studies

Finance

Establishing/Raising Water Rates
Water Delivery and Billing Software
Water Marketing
Financial Implications of Long-Term Water Shortages
O&M Reserve Funds
Liability and Insurance Issues
Coping with Rising Costs of Energy/Fuel
Case Studies

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Conference Planning Committee

Steve Knell, General Chairman, Oakdale Irrigation District, Oakdale, California

Jeff Barton, Turlock Irrigation District, Turlock, California

Thaddeus L. Bettner, Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, Willows, California

David E. Bradshaw, Imperial Irrigation District, Imperial, California

Joseph I. Burns, Consulting Civil Engineer, Sacramento, California

Darren D. Cordova, MBK Engineers, Inc., Sacramento, California

Grant G. Davids, Davids Engineering, Inc., Davis, California

Franklin E. Dimick, Dimick Water Resources Engineering, Monroe, Utah

Robert H. Edwards, Bureau of Reclamation, Galt, California

Robert S. Gooch, Salt River Project, Phoenix, Arizona

Steven C. Johnson, Central Oregon Irrigation District, Redmond, Oregon

Holly Myers, CH2M Hill, Inc., Sacramento, California

David E. Nelson, Bureau of Reclamation, Billings, Montana

W. Martin Roche, Consulting Engineer, Grass Valley, California

Samuel W. Schaefer, GEI Consultants, Bookman-Edmonston Division, Bakersfield, California

Dennis Wichelns, Indiana University Northwest, Gary, Indiana

Darell D. Zimbelman, Rubicon Systems America, Inc., Loveland, Colorado

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Please send any comments to or Larry Stephens (stephens@uscid.org).

Last revised December 30, 2008